Method of and apparatus for straightening and solidifying electrotype plates and the like



y 3 F. A. HENGST 1,7579569 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING ANDSOLIDIFYING ELECTROTYPE PLATES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 1928- 2Sheets-Sheet l y 1930. F. A. HENGST 1,757,569

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STRAIGHTENING AND SOLIDIFYING ELECTROTYPEPLATES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 9, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0% am W. Q9 E wuPatented May 6, 1930 ,rnnnnarcx A. nnnosr, or anomEwrsoonsIn nrnon orAND ummus roa srnamnrnmive AND sonrommo mornomn PLATES THE A Applicationfiled August 9, 1928. semi mi. asasao;

The solidifying and straightening of electrotype plates has heretoforebeen a tedious hand operation requiring extreme care and highly skilledworkmen as it is essential that only the proper portions of the plate beworked upon and then only to a predetermined degree. It is, therefore,an object of this invention to provide a device whereby a plate may betreated in a single operation.

1 Another object of this invention is to pro vide a device of thecharacter described in which the solidifying and straightening ofelectrotype plates is accomplished independent of manual skill.

Another object of this invention resides in the provision of apluralityof individually movable units upon which an electrotype plate ispositioned and below which a matrix or stencil, known in the art as amake-ready,

I0 is placed so that when pressure isapplied to.

the plate certain of the units will exert a pressure thereon.

And a further object of this invention resides in the provision of adevice of the character described having a plurality of cross barsbetween which a plurality of pressure units are mounted, the unitshaving a con-' nection with the cross bars which permits theirrestricted longitudinal-movement. 80 And a still further object of'thisinvention is to provide a method of straightening and solidifyingelectrotype plates in which a plate, a matrix and a plurality ofindividually movable units positioned between the plate and matrixare'placed in a'press, whereupon pressure is imposed on the plate atpoints governed by'the formation of the matrix.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction.combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the-appended claims, it beingunderstood that such chan es in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made-as come within the scope of the claims. Inthe accompanying drawings. I have illustrated one complete example. ofthe physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest mode I have so far devised for the practical application-of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view llustrat ing an electrotypestraightening and solidi-' fying device positioned in a conventionalhydraulic press;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device removed from the press;

spective view taken through Figure 2 on the plane of the line 33;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view illustrating the position of theparts after being subjected to pressure, and

Figure 5 is a-perspectiv'e view of one of the pressure units.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in whichlike numerals designate like parts throughout. the several views, 5represents the base of a conventional'hydraulic press having astationary head 6 supported on corner up-right-s 7, the head beingsecured to the up-rights by nuts '8, as is customary. The base 5 isprovided with a well in which'the plunger 9 of a movable platenlO ispositioned to be raised by hydraulic pressure.

4 he improved solidifying and straightening device per se consists of abase ll-formed of a plate having the .desired size and thicknesswith'its surfaces ground parallel and provided with a chase or frame 12hinged from one side, as at 13, and consisting of a pair of side members14 and a pair of end members 15 connected by screws 16.

The side members 14 have their inner edges Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary perlongitudinally grooved, as at 17, to receive the ends ofa plurality of cross bars 18 between which'a plurality of individualpressure units 19 are mounted. Each unit 19 is preferably square incross section and has two opposite sides transversely channeled, as at20, the

channel being of a width greater than the width of the cross bars 18 andof a depth subls)tantially half of the thickness of the cross ars.

In assembling, one side member 14 is detached and a series of units arepositioned along oneendmember 15,41 cross bar 18 be- 2 v memes by thedifference in the width of the channels and the cross bars 18. r

In use, thebase plate 11 is placed on the movable platen of the press,as illustrated in Figure 1, and the chase frame thrown back on itshinges, a handle 22 being provided to facilitate this movement and amatrix or 'make-ready 23 is positioned on the plate 11, see Figure 4.The matrix or makeready may consist of a plain sheet of paper of thedesired thickness which has portions "cut out to represent the weakportions of the plate, or in other words those portions it is desired toleave untouched.

' derside of the enlargement 26.

To insure the proper positioning of the matrix 23 on the base 11, a pairof depressible guide members 24;.arranged at right angles with each.other are positioned at one corner of the base plate. Each guide member24 has a relatively thin blade 25 which normallyextends above thesurface of the plate to provide stop means against which the adjacentedges of the matrix are engaged. V

The lower portion of the blade 25 termi nates in an enlarged,longitudinalbase 26 which is vertically movable in a recess 27 in thebase plate, and having one side out back, as at 28, to provide anoverhanging shoulder 29, which, with a similar sh'oulder 30- extendedfrom a jib member 31 secured-in the recess adjacent its other side,provides means a ainst which the-enlarged base 26 is yielda 1y urged bysprings 32 confined between the bottom of the recess and pocketsin theun- The shoul- Iders 29 and 30 are spaced to permit the blade 25 to movetherebetween'and the jib member whose major portion 33 extends to thebottom of the recess to, with the -cut back portion 28, define alongitudinal channel in -whic'h the enlargement 26 and its urgingsprings are confined, has a lateral flange 34 by which it is secured tothe base plate, the top surface thereof being flush with thesurface ofthe plate.

It will thus be seen that theguides-2 4 are readily depressible topermit the upper edges of their blades 25 to be moved flush with the topsurface of the plate when the frame is closed over the matrix.

With the matrix positioned beneath the pluralityg of pressure units,itwill be readily apparent that' the top surfaces of the units directlyabove the cut out portions in the matrix will be lower than the upperfaces of those above the solid portions of the matrix. This is theposition of the parts as illustrated in Figure 4. The upper surface ofeach pressure unit is provided with a plurality of upwardly extendingprojections or needles ill for a purpose to be later described.

With the frame closed down over the matrix, an electrotype plate 35 islaid on the pressure units, being properly aligned with the matrix by asecond pair of guide members 36 carried by the frame,'in verticalalignment with the guides 24.. The construction of the guide members 36is identical to that of the guides 24 and the reference charactersdirected to the guides 24 are common to both. Pressure is now applied bythe press and the units above the cutout portions of the matrix, whichportions coincide with the weak portions of the plate or those partswhich it is desired not to solidify, have their upper surfaces'b'elowthat of the remaining units. It is thus evident that only the desiredportions-of the plate will be subjected to pressure. The formation ofthe needles or projections on the upper faces prevents spreading of thematerial of the plate as they provide spaces into which the-displacedmetal flows when pressure is applied thereto.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art towhich an invention of the character described appertains, that I providea novel means forsolidifying and straightening electrotype plates bywhichan entire plate may be treated in a single operation, in which anydesired portion of the plate may be subjected to pressure and in whichthe apto permit. longitudinal movement of the units with respect to thebars.

- 3. In a deviceof the character described, a frame, a'plurality ofpressure units arranged side by side to completely'fill the frame, andmeans mounting the units in the frame whereby they are-permitted adegreeof free longi-" tudinal movement. a

4. In a device of the character described, a stationary cross bar,pressure units, and

1G6 plication of pressure to a plate does not weakmeans connecting theunits with the crossbar whereby they are retained against lateralmovement but permitted longitudinal movement.

5. In a device of the character described, a frame, a plurality of crossbars secured in the -frame, pressure units mounted between the crossbars with their faces normally forming an-unbroken plane, and meansconnecting the units with the cross bars, whereby they are permittedlongitudinal movement but re I strained against lateral movement.

6. In a device for straightening and solidiwa-ieee '3 fying electrotypeplates including a pressure applying means, a plurality of means free toadjust themselves to the variations in a-matrix engaging one face of theadjustable plurality of means whereby pressure is applied to anelectrotype plate engaging said means at points governed by thevariations of the a matrix. 1 v 7. Ina device of the characterdescribed, a

base plate adapted to receive a matrix, means for facilitating thepositioning of the matrix on the plate, a frame adapted to be positionedover the plate, pressure units mounted in the frame, means whereby theunits are free to adjust themselves through variations of the matrix,means carried by the frame for facilitating the alignment of anelectrotype plate with the matrix, and means for applying pressure tothe plate whereby the pressure is exerted at points depending upon thevariations of the matrix.

8. The hereindescribed method of straightening and solidifyingelectrotype plates and the like which consists in positioning a plateand a matrix. with aplurality of movable units therebetween in a pressand in applying pressure thereto.

9. The hereindescribed method of straightening and solidifying printingplates which consists in subjecting the printing plate to pressurethrough a pressure applying member composed of a plurality of individualunits, and in providing. a matrix engageable with the pressure appl ingmember to select the units through which plied whereby predetermmedportions of t plate are sub ected to pressure.

ressure is to be a 10. A device for use in straightening and solidifyingprinting plates, comprising a base plate, a frame movable over the baseplate a plurality of pressure units arranged side by side to completelyfill the frame, means securing the pressure units in theframe whereb theunits are permitted individual longitudi nal movement, and means onopposite sides of the frame to align a printing plate engaging one faceof the pressure units with a matrix engaging-their opposite face,whereby pressure may be applied to the printing plate in accordance withthe configuration of the matrix.

11. Thehereindgscribed method of treat-

